Do some research on gambling pins.

Varied from state to state, and game to game. If you could win nickels, tokens, or nothing - not even free games.

In Minnesota during that time you could only win tokens. If you knew the person you could buy them back for 5¢ each. If you didn't know them ( cop types undercover ) well congratulations, you won a bunch of worthless tokens.

LTG : )

Interesting, so did the pins have some sort of token dispenser attached to them (i.e. like Safecracker), or did the operator see that you had reached some scoring threshold and hand them out manually?

In the linked auction, there's a hidden payout drawer that slides out on the front.

The payout mechanism was automatic, and would dump the nickels into the cup in the payout drawer. Payout could be disabled.

Different machines had different payout sensibilities. Some extremely high payouts paid in tokens or printed sheets (!) that could be turned in for cash if you 'knew the person'. Some paid directly. Others were used as a trade stimulator effort where different types of tokens would be paid out - say one gives you a free shot of whiskey, another gives you a couple of free cigarettes. The idea being that if you kept pumping nickels into the pinball or countertop slot machine, you'd be paying the establishment either way. Spend 5c for a shot or 35c... I know which I'd prefer as the business owner...

The trick with most of these machines was staying one step ahead of the law. For example, in some localities it might be fine to provide a slot machine/trade stimulator -if- the customer was guaranteed something for every pull. That's why you'll see a lot of machines with mint or gum vendors attached. No one cared about the mint or gum!

Yes, usually on the front. Huge front ends on those cabinets, the coin door was almost as big as the front. Tall cash box too, to hold all the nickels. You could put in extra nickels to increase payouts.

The one in the link had a small one on the side.

LTG : )

VDerby (resized).jpg

Horse racing became a big theme in the 1940s - over 60 machines produced from 1936-1952 that were (mostly) full-sized cabinets like Victory Derby there. Victory Derby paid out in nickels, directly, as did most of the horse racing machines with payout. Most were sold in two versions, a payout/replay (configurable) or replay only. They differentiated by changing the name.

After those were made illegal to ship across state lines, then the bingos (5 or more balls / game) started. Bingos (1951-1981) didn't pay out directly, and were all replay from the factory (except for one instance that was configurable). The horse race and many earlier payout games were single ball. You put in one or more nickels and play one shot.